The National Disability Insurance Scheme

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provides supports and services to Australians aged under 65, who are born with, or acquire a permanent and significant intellectual, physical, sensory, cognitive, or psychosocial disability. The NDIS also provides early intervention supports to children under 7 years old with developmental delays.

The NDIS is designed to give people with disability:

• an individualised support plan that meets each person’s current needs
• support so their skills and independence improve over time
• choice and control over who they engage as their service providers.

Every person with a disability has different funding needs. The NDIS bases its level of supports on what is reasonable and necessary for each person. The supports can be used to fund:

• daily personal activities such as toileting or showering
• transport to enable participation in work or education or community events
• workplace help to allow a person to successfully get or keep employment
• therapeutic supports such as physiotherapy or speech therapy or psychology consultations
• help with household tasks to allow a person to maintain their home environment
• help with assessment for, set up and training for aids or equipment by skilled personnel
• home modification design and construction
• mobility equipment
• vehicle modifications.

More information on how the NDIS allocates funds to people with disability can be found in the link below.

NDIS plan budgets and rules information

You must meet certain conditions to be eligible for the NDIS, these include:

• being under 65 years old
• living in Australia and being an Australian citizen, or having a Permanent Visa or a Protected Special Category Visa
• having a permanent and significant disability
• needing support from another person because of your disability
• using specialised equipment because of your disability.

If you meet these criteria, you can lodge an Access Request with the NDIS by phone or download an Access Request form from the NDIS website.

Phone 1800 800 110

NDIS Access Request form

Supporting Evidence for Access to the NDIS

When you apply for NDIS funding you will need to supply evidence-based reports from medical and allied health professionals. These reports need to be less than one year old and it is important that each health professional providing evidence is actively involved in your care and has been treating you for at least six months. Reports can be supplied by:

• your GP
• a paediatrician
• an occupational therapist
• a psychologist
• a speech pathologist
• another allied health professional.

The reports need to confirm your primary disability, treatments you have had and options for treatments in the future, and the impacts your disability has on different areas of your life. This is called the functional impact of a disability. The NDIA accepts many different reports which assess the functional impact of a disability, but the report must be relevant to your disability and stage of life. Examples of reports the NDIA accepts are:

• Functional Capacity Assessments
• Psychosocial Functional Capacity Assessments
• Supported Disability Accommodation Assessments
• Supported Independent Living Assessments.

When you have a disability which fluctuates, for example a psychosocial disability, the NDIA will consider the impact your disability has on your ability to function in the periods between acute episodes.

The NDIS will make their decision based on the supporting reports you provide.

Your NDIS Plan

Once you are granted access to the NDIS, you will meet with a planner either in person or on the phone to discuss your goals and develop a plan that meets your support needs. The plan will then be built and approved by the National Disability Insurance Agency. Find out more about creating your plan using the link below: 

NDIS information to help you prepare for your planning meeting  

Your plan will usually last for one year before it is reviewed by a planner. At the review your planner will check the plan is still relevant to you and make any adjustments you need if your circumstances have changed.

More information about the NDIS can be found on the NDIS website.

NDIS website Information about the NDIS in Auslan  

How ADACAS can help you

ADACAS advocates can help you if you have a problem with the NDIS. We are able to:

• help you with an access request if you don’t have a network of supporters to help you
• assist you to connect with service providers if your network of supporters cannot help you use your NDIS plan 
• support you with an internal review when you think your funding is inadequate
• support you with a Change of Circumstances request
• advocate for you if you are making an appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

You can contact us by either ringing or emailing us, or make a referral using the buttons below.

Make a referral                   Contact ADACAS